Chapter 226
Chapter 226: Move Out!
More than a thousand soldiers had practically become a crimson legion. Every one of them had blood soaked through their clothes, and chunks of flesh were scattered across their bodies.
Some were even helping one another clean hair that had been glued together by blood.
They conversed softly, chatting and laughing, without the slightest gloom that should have followed a major battle.
If there had been casualties among them, they would absolutely not be acting like this.
Zhang Zhiwei shouted in exasperation, “Form ranks!”
His voice instantly spread across the entire plaza.
All the soldiers jolted.
Only then did they notice that people had come out of the fortress!
Clearly, they were the major figures of the Military Districts.
In an instant, everyone abruptly stood at attention and formed ranks.
In a single breath...
Their formation became so uniform that even if one used a ruler to measure the distance between each of them, it would be no better than this.
If they had been standing in perfect formation from the beginning, it would not have produced such a shocking feeling.
For a time, the hearts of all the major military figures trembled fiercely.
This was a true iron army of flesh and blood.
Zu Yuanji asked in surprise, “Did you encounter monsters surrounding you on the way?”
Song Chuhe nodded.
“Mm. Several times.”
Several... times?
Zu Yuanji and the others were experienced and knowledgeable, but they could not help silently calculating the numbers.
From yesterday afternoon until now, only seventeen or eighteen hours had passed.
Even if the Tiger Roar Army had set out immediately, that meant eighteen hours.
They had traveled 1,800 kilometers along the way. That was a speed of 100 kilometers per hour!
Moreover, more than half of that had been during the night!
The danger level of the Forbidden Zones at night was far higher than during the day.
Marching at night!
Breaking through monster encirclements more than once.
Maintaining an average speed above 100 kilometers per hour.
No casualties...
Under such circumstances, Song Chuhe had actually said they could fight after resting until one o’clock in the afternoon.
Judging by the state of these soldiers, they could probably fight right now!
It was just that they needed to wash up first.
Zu Yuanji and the others could not understand it.
How exactly had they done this?
Even if they were made of iron, they still had to eat and sleep!
How were these people so full of vitality and fighting spirit?
“Good! Very good!”
Zu Yuanji said excitedly.
Although he very much wanted to praise them a few times, doing so was clearly inappropriate.
The Tiger Roar Army had not even fought yet. If he praised them to the heavens now, but they still failed to complete the mission in the end, would he not become a jinx?
Dong Xiao, meanwhile, thought to himself that this was enough to overawe these bigshots?
The Tiger Roar Army had admitted that they had encountered monsters surrounding them!
But had they said anything about the monsters’ quantity or quality?
These were all Yellow Rank Eighth or Ninth Grade soldiers. If they encountered Third or Fourth Grade monsters, who would not slaughter them easily?
As for being covered in blood and flesh, there was even less to be surprised about.
If each person killed a few dozen monsters, would they not end up looking exactly like this?
Especially this Song Chuhe. He was quite good at acting as though everything was impressive.
Let’s see what you do when you actually reach the low spiritual-pressure region!
After the troop review ended, Song Chuhe led the men away to rest and reorganize.
The five great Military Districts of Bloodpool City had nearly three hundred thousand soldiers.
Their military numbers were ten times that of Ironhand City.
Aside from Ironhand City’s previously low enlistment rate, the size and strength of the Abyss were also factors.
The Abyss that Bloodpool City had faced before had been enormous.
This was probably why the Forbidden Zones around Bloodpool City were now larger and had more monsters.
After obtaining the Sub-Profound Spirit Tree, however, Ironhand City’s enlistment rate had soared in a straight line through Wang Longcheng’s efforts.
Now, Ironhand City’s Pearl Military District alone had more than eighty thousand people.
Together with the forty thousand from Red Moon, they had 120,000 combatants.
Moreover, because Ironhand City was very close to its military district base, Li Mu had planted another Sub-Profound Spirit Tree for the Pearl Military District.
The Sub-Profound Spirit Tree likewise could only be planted in a “Forbidden Zone,” not on “Original Ground.”
Thus, Ironhand City had two Sub-Profound Spirit Trees.
Bloodpool City had one.
As for Linyuan City’s tree, it had originally been inside the military district more than a hundred kilometers from Linyuan City.
Fortunately, Li Mu had a flash of inspiration.
A month and a half ago, Zhang Zhiwei had already reached the Profound Rank, but Lu Chenfeng was still Yellow Rank Ninth Grade.
So Li Mu first had twenty thousand soldiers reenter the spirit tree to consume the monsters inside.
Once they had been depleted to a certain extent, he told Lu Chenfeng the route and had him charge into that strange space again.
Lu Chenfeng pulled out the Beckoning Sapling.
This time, there was only one Beckoning Tree inside that space.
After Lu Chenfeng pulled it out, Li Mu planted it in the Blessing Field and watered it once with Sweet Dew.
Only then did he plant it again at the Forbidden Zone edge nearest to Linyuan City.
It was only three kilometers from the city, and a temporary military district was built there.
These few Sub-Profound Spirit Trees alone directly promoted Li Mu’s military rank to Junior Dragon General, and his military merit was still accumulating continuously.
It was not that Li Mu had never thought of cultivating more Sub-Profound Spirit Trees, but he simply could not grow them.
Therefore, Li Mu felt that they were probably things naturally born and nurtured by the Verdant Abyss.
Although Song Chuhe had said they could begin fighting that afternoon...
Zu Yuanji still let the Tiger Roar Army rest for an extra day and night.
First, it was to let them conserve their strength and build up energy. Second, the mission might take a very long time.
If they began the operation in the afternoon and it continued until midnight, they would definitely have to withdraw.
So Zu Yuanji arranged the mission for the following morning.
That afternoon...
Song Chuhe and Zhang Zhiwei stood before the enormous projected sand table in the command center, listening to Zhong Xinghai and Dong Xiao, who had been to the scene before, explain the situation.
On the enormous projected sand table...
A mountain ridge region had been dyed red.
Above the red region, green and red dots occasionally moved.
Above the dots were many small screens.
These screens showed scenes of soldiers and monsters fighting.
There were even detailed explanations of the monster types and traits above the sand table.
From the macro view to the fine details, everything could be understood through this projected sand table.
Dong Xiao pointed at one of the very large monsters.
“Among the monsters we encountered, this tiger-type monster was the most troublesome!”
“They possess the agility and strength of felines. Their enormous fangs are extremely dangerous.”
“The key is their physical strength. It is comparable to Profound Rank demon beasts!”
“So far, I have not discovered any weakness in them.”
The monster in the footage was even larger than a tiger.
It resembled a fierce tiger, but its head was incomparably ugly. Its lower jaw jutted forward, and sharp fangs protruded from it.
If it charged into someone, that pair of fangs could absolutely pierce straight through a person!
It was extraordinarily ferocious!
Then he pointed at the second type of monster.
“The second most troublesome kind is this giant frog, with powerful hind legs and an extremely light body!”
“This kind of giant frog specializes in mid-range attacks. When it opens its mouth, it can spit out extremely powerful lightning!”
“Its defense is slightly worse than the fierce tiger’s, but its attacks are extremely formidable.”
“The lightning can not only easily pierce through the defense of protective cultivation arts, it can also paralyze a person’s body.”
“Once their attacks pierce through one’s defense, if they coordinate with those tiger-charge monsters, survival becomes very difficult.”
“Many soldiers died because of the coordination between these two kinds of monsters.”
Dong Xiao did not withhold information. Instead, he slightly exaggerated the strength of the two monsters.
He had led the Wansheng Special Warfare Army in and been beaten to pieces.
If he described the monsters as too weak, where would he put his face?
Most importantly, he had not exaggerated by much. Even now, when he thought back to the strength of those monsters, his head still ached.
Another reason was that he wanted Song Chuhe to listen carefully.
When you have to face these monsters, let’s see whether you feel uneasy.
However, he did not find any sign of difficulty on Song Chuhe’s face.
Song Chuhe also did not ask further questions about the details of these monsters.
Instead, he asked, “The Research Institute’s view is that the low spiritual-pressure region was caused by some kind of Mystic Realm or special substance?”
Zhong Xinghai nodded.
“Correct! The main objective of the mission is to kill your way into the central region and investigate the core reason behind the formation of the low spiritual-pressure region.”
“We cannot allow the low spiritual-pressure region to expand without end.”
Song Chuhe asked again, “Have you tried aerial detection?”
“We have. Whether it is a person or a device, there is no Spiritual Energy in the sky above the low spiritual-pressure region to support flight.”
Zu Yuanji said this.
Song Chuhe asked in confusion, “I have one more question. After entering the low spiritual-pressure region, for experts above the Profound Rank, does the spiritual pressure become thinner the farther in they go, suppressing them more heavily? Or are they weakened to the same degree as soon as they enter the spiritual-pressure region?”
Everyone looked toward Dong Xiao.
Dong Xiao also seemed to remember something and nodded.
“It should be the former! The farther in one goes, the thinner the spiritual pressure seems to become, but it is not very obvious!”
Song Chuhe nodded thoughtfully.
“I understand. I have no more questions.”
The others, however, looked at one another.
Song Chuhe’s final question seemed to be a very ordinary one.
Why did he look as though he had suddenly figured something out?
The night passed without incident.
Early the next morning...
The sky had not fully brightened yet!
The command center was already brightly lit.
The feeds from Zhang Zhiwei’s and Song Chuhe’s watches had already been activated.
The watches of the other Tiger Roar Army soldiers could also be connected at any time.
In the footage, more than a thousand Tiger Roar Army soldiers rode warhorses, slowly advancing beneath the curtain of night. They had already reached the edge of the Restricted Zone.
They dismounted as a group and formed ranks, waiting for orders.
This place was seventy kilometers from the mission target.
However, according to Zu Yuanji’s order, he did not want the Tiger Roar Army to take risks in the dark.
So they had to wait for daybreak.
At this moment, Zhang Zhiwei glanced at the time.
Six forty-nine.
A touch of pale dawn appeared on the horizon.
Zhang Zhiwei stood at the very front and slowly drew his golden spear.
Faint lightning crackled around the spear.
Song Chuhe opened his hand.
A large swarm of insects resembling black mosquitoes flew out from his palm!
These insects rapidly scattered into the dense forest ahead.
Song Chuhe then slightly lifted his head.
His eyeballs suddenly began to tremble and split violently!
Two, four, eight...
They kept splitting until there were more than a hundred...
Occupying more than half of each original eyeball.
Song Chuhe shouted, “Move out!”